1. The Children’s Aid Society of Brant
Preliminary Findings
Crown Ward Review
2011
February 28-March 10, 2011

2. 2011 Crown Ward Review 132 Crown wards reviewed
136 Crown wards reviewed in 2010
121 Crown wards reviewed in 2009
132 Crown wards reviewed in 2008
24 Crown wards reviewed for the first time
108 Crown wards previously reviewed
2 cases of adoption probation
2 cases of adoption probation in 2010
9 cases of adoption probation in 2009

3. Reasons for Admission
Caregiver Capacity 72 (54.5%) (52.9%)
Caregiver Substance Abuse 27 (20.5%) (20.6%)
Parents Mental Health (3.8%) (2.2%)
Abandonment/Separation 22 (16.7%) (16.9%)
Harm by Commission 19 (14.4%) (15.4%)
Harm by Omission (9.1%) (8.8%)
Emotional Harm (5.3%) (5.9%)
Previous admissions to care (50.8%) 73 (53.7%)

4. Child Profile by Age Age at time of review: 2011 2010
0 - 9 years (11.4%) (9.6%)
years 20 (14.9%) (19.1%)
years 97 (73.5%) (71.3%)
Average age at time of review – years
Average age at time of review in 2010 – 14.0 years
Average age at time of review in 2009– 14.0 years
2009 provincial average is years at time of review
Average age at time of Crown wardship years – 8.4 years
Average age at time of Crown wardship in years
Average age at time of Crown wardship in years
2009 provincial average is years at time of Crown wardship

5. Permanency Plans 2011 2010 Long term foster care 82 (62.1%) 75 (55.1%)
Long term foster care (62.1%) (55.1%)
Independence (20.5%) (22.1%)
Long term group care (3.8%) (2.2%)
Adult Services (2.3%) (2.2%)
Adoption (3.8%) (8.8%)
Return home (0%) (0.7%)
Not clear (7.6%) (8.8%)

6. Children With Diagnosed Identified Needs
97 (73.5%) children identified with special needs
101 (74.3%) children identified with special needs in 2010
2009 provincial average of children with special needs is 83%
58 (43.9%) children were taking psychotropic medication
60 (44.1%) were taking psychotropic medication in 2010
2009 provincial average is 49%.
36 (27.3%) children were involved in therapy
43 (31.6%) were involved in therapy in 2010
2009 provincial average of children receiving therapy is 41%
14 (10.6%) children were identified as high risk, and of these :
none required follow up
5(3.7%) of children were identified as high risk in 2010
2009 provincial average is 9% of children identified as high risk

7. Children with Identified Needs
Prov.%
ADD/ADHD (27%) %
Psychiatric Diagnosis 16 (12%) %
Learning Disability (5%) %
Developmental Delay (2%) %
Neurological Disorder (1%)
Emotional Difficulty (5%)
FASD (4%)
Medical Condition (3%)
Multiple Disabilities (3%)
Physical disability (%)

8. Behavioural Issues 53 (40.2%) children with behavioural issues
54 (39.7%) children with behavioural issues in 2010
2009 provincial average for children with behavioural difficulties is 43%.
2009Prov %
Aggressive/Assaultive Behaviour (28%) 34%
Substance Abuse (1.5%) 3%
Inappropriate sexual behaviour (2%) 3%
Self Harming Behaviours (0.8%)
Frequent Running Behavior (5%)
Suicidal Ideation – Current (1.5%)
Suicidal Ideation - Historical (0.8%)
Involvement in Prostitution (0%)
Other (0.8%)
History YCJA activity (9.1%) – 12 (8.8%)
2009 provincial average is 8% of Crown wards had a history of YCJA involvement

9. Serious Occurrences in Previous 12 Months
32 files reported serious occurrences since the last review
27 cases with reports on file
5 Recommendation to File Serious Occurrence Report

10. Educational Placements
129 (97.7%) children were enrolled in a school program
The 2009 provincial average is 96% of children attending school.
61 in elementary school including kindergarten
68 in secondary school
47 (35.6%) had been reviewed by an IPRC Committee
The 2009 provincial average is 52% of children reviewed by an IPRC
25 (18.9%) children experienced suspensions
The 2009 provincial average is 17% of children suspended in the previous 12 months
115 (89.1%) were making some progress (89.9% in 2010)
The 2009 provincial average of children who were making progress was 91%.

11. History of Verified Abuse
16 (12.1%) of the children experienced physical or sexual abuse prior to coming into care
0 (0%) of the children were abused while living in a resource
The 2009 provincial average is 4% of children abused while living in a resource.
Previous history of verified abuse (while at home or in care) is %
The 2009 provincial average is 24%

12. Services to Aboriginal Children
40 (30.3%)children had Native heritage
2009 Provincial average is 22% of children with Native heritage
34 (85%)children had status
2009 Provincial average is 60% of children who had status
5 children were non status and 1 child’s eligibility was yet to be determined
37 (92.5%) children were participating or had opportunities to participate in cultural and/or spiritual practices
2009 provincial average is 82% of children participating in cultural/spiritual practices
21 (52.5%) children were residing in a Native placement
2009 provincial average is 22% placed in a Native home

13. Services to Aboriginal Children
27 (67.5%) cases where First Nations were involved in planning and in 11 (27.5%) attempts were made
2009 provincial average is First Nations involvement in planning in 15% of the cases and attempts were made in 15%
11 children were placed in their home community (27.5%)
2009 provincial average is 8% of children placed in home community
9 children maintained contact with home community (22.5%)
2009 provincial average is 22% of children maintaining contact

14. Placement 100 (75.8%) children placed in CAS operated care
40 (30%) in specialized foster care
32 (24%) in regular foster care
27 (20%) in kinship foster care
1 (1%) in treatment foster care
2(1.5%) with a Community Caregiver
3 (2.3%) in a parental home
100 (73.5%) children in CAS operated care in 2010
2009 provincial average is 49% of children in CAS operated care

15. Placement 19 (14.4%) children in OPR
6 (5%) children in foster homes
8 (6%) children in staffed homes
5 (4%) children in parent model homes
22 (16.2%) were in OPR placements in 2010
2009 provincial average is 31% of children in OPR
6 (5%) children were living independently
12 (9%) living independently in 2010
1 child was placed in Children’s mental health and
1 child was in YCJ
114 (86.4%) children/youth were living in family settings
115 (84.6%) living in family settings in 2010

16. Frequency of Placement Change
1 placement change every months
1 placement change every 23.6 months in 2010
2009 provincial average is a placement change every 27 months
71 children (53.8%) experienced placement continuity since Crown wardship
70 children (51.5%) experienced placement continuity in 2010
The provincial average is 43% of children who had one placement since Crown wardship.
Average number of placements since Crown wardship – 2.7
2010 Average number of placements since Crown Wardship – 2.7

17. Frequency of Caseworker Change
1 caseworker every months
1 caseworker every 16.4 months in 2010
2009 provincial average is 21.1 months on average.

18. Caseworkers Since Crown Wardship
1 caseworker since Crown wardship - 12
2 caseworkers since Crown wardship – 30
3 or more caseworkers since Crown wardship – 90
Average number of caseworkers since Crown wardship –4.0
2010 Average number of caseworkers since Crown wardship – 4.0

19. Average Caseworker Contact
12.9 visits over the past 12 months
12.6 visits in 2010
The 2009 provincial average is 11.9 visits.

20. Access 104 (78.8%) had court ordered access
24 (18.2%) had orders of no access
4 (3.0%) had court orders silent as to access
54 mothers only exercised access in (40.9%) cases
11 fathers only exercised access in (8.3%) cases
32 both parents exercised access in (24.2%) cases
91 extended family exercised access in (68.9%) cases
sibling access occurred in 114 cases (86.4%)
100 Crown Wards (75.8%) had siblings in care

21. Overall Summary 132 files reviewed 110 files were in full compliance
36 directives were issued in 20 cases
2 cases not in compliance and no directives issued
overall legislative compliance rating –83.3%
Brant overall compliance in 2010 – 69.9%
2009 provincial average compliance is 66%

22. Compliance with Standards
Cases where applicable
Cases in Compliance
Level of Compliance 2011
Level of Compliance
2010
7 day visit 30 29
96.7%
96.8%
30 day visit
100%
93.3%
Minimum
3 month visit
132
129
97.7%
95.6%
Private visit
100.0%
Child’s family history
128
97.0%
98.5%
Annual medical exam
94.0%
Annual dental
126
95.5%
97.8%

23. Compliance with Standards
Cases where applicable
Cases in Compliance
Level of Compliance 2011
Level of Compliance 2010
Review POC
113
107
94.7%
92.9%
30 day review replacement 31 30
96.8%
85.2%
Review of plan by Supervisor
112
106
94.6%
90.3%
POC address specific needs
132
128
97.0%
92.6%
Annual school report
131
100.0%
Discussion of rights
POC residential resources 23
AAR
129
97.7%
90.4%

24. DIRECTIVES Directives were issued 1 – 7 day visit
3 - Minimum 3 month visit
3 - Private visit
4 - Child’s social history
2 - Annual medical exam
3 - Annual dental exam
6 - Review of plan of care
1 - Review within 30 days if child moves
6 - Review of plan by supervisor
4 – Plan of Care address specific needs
3 - AAR

25. Recommendations 62 cases did not require service recommendations
134 recommendations were issued in 70 cases
54 to enhance the planning documentation including the social history (14); the plan of care (25) and the recording (15);
29 to file pertinent reports including, school report (10) medical and dental report (4); clinical report (7);Resource report (2); Incident/Investigation report(1), and serious occurrence report (5)
25 to consider additional assessment or support for children and youth including to consider counselling (1); psychiatric or psychological assessment (12); educational or vocational support (6); group support (1), and to prepare for independence (5)
17 to reassess children’s needs including Review permanency planning (12); to review access arrangements (5)
1 to determine eligibility for native status and 1 to apply to Criminal Injuries Compensation
6 Other
1 to review rights

26. Areas that Require Attention
Continued attention to ensure the timely completion of the planning process, including the AAR, the social history and the plan of care;
Continued efforts to address continuity of care and caseworker continuity;
Continue to ensure development of detailed, measurable goals and tasks in all developmental dimensions of plans of care;
Consider updated assessments of children’s needs to assist in planning;
Review Serious Occurrence reporting guidelines, and
Documentation to reflect exploration of all permanency options, for enduring relationships and post care support.

27. Highlights of the Review
Substantial increase in the overall level of compliance ;
The majority of children (75.8%) were placed in CAS operated care ;
Effective placement resources and behavioural management supports for an older age, increasingly high risk population of children and youth;
The majority of children (53.8%) experienced placement continuity since Crown wardship;
The majority of children (86.4%) were placed in family settings;
Caseworker contact with children was above the provincial average; :

28. Highlights of the Review
Access was well managed and beneficial with children maintaining connections to their siblings, parents, and extended family;
Academic achievement was a focus of children's planning with the majority of children (89.1%) making progress;
The society made active efforts to place children in Native homes, connect them to their culture and communities and engage the First Nations in case planning, and
The society's response to the majority of the directives and recommendations from the 2009 Crown Ward Review was evident in the case file.